A Kelowna man accused of recruiting women across the province for an escort business and controlling them through violence will have his trial date decided next month.
Simon Walter Rypiak was arrested in August of 2016 after a police investigation revealed that nine women from the ages of 15 to 20 were recruited as escorts through social media.
Rypiak is also charged with assault and sexual assault towards some of the victims.
Investigators believed that there were more victims who hadn’t yet come forward.
During a court appearance on Monday, April 9th, Rypiak was told by the judge that he had three weeks to pick a lawyer; otherwise he would be representing himself during his trial.
Rypiak revealed on Monday, April 30th that he had finally hired a lawyer in the time since his last appearance.
His next court appearance will take place on Monday, May 28th to set a trial date.
The trial is expected to take place this fall, likely in October.